1/5/64: a/c flew the last flight for 408(P)
Sqn, RCAF from Downsview,
Ontario as part of the retirement ceremony.

c.1965: Purchased be Dr. Johnson, Calgary, Alberta for
Air Museum of Canada, Calgary, Alberta. Registered as CF-AMD
North-western Air Lease, St. Albert, Alberta, 1969-1973. Registered as
CF-TQC. Conversion to fire tanker started but not complete.
Sold to Sir W.J.D. Roberts for the Strathallan Collection as
G-BOCH water bomber, Sept. 24, 1974-1987. Delivered to
Strathallan by air from Edmonton, June 11, 1975 (reported to
have be painted orange for this flight). On display at
Strathallan Collection, Purchased by Charles Church Ltd,
Manchester, 1987-1990 (Church later killed in a Spitfire accident), trucked to
BAE Woodford for restoration to airworthy, Apr. 9, 1987, but
was badly damaged by hanger collapse, Woodward, Aug. 12, 1987 and resulted in
the rebuild being abandoned. Arrived dismantled Bedford, Nov. 1988 along with
sections of Lancaster KB994 and Lincoln RF342 for planned restoration by
Cranfield Institute of Technology. Stored 1988-1990. Sold to
Doug Arnold, Warbirds Of GB Ltd, Biggin Hill, Aug. 1990-1992
for planned rebuild, using KB994 & Lincoln RF342. Sold to Kermit Weeks,
Weeks Air Museum/Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, FL, 1992-2002 stored with planed
restoration in future.

10/2002: mid fuselage section of KB976 at
Sandtoft, balance of aircraft appears to remain in
Florida

02/14/2005: email from Roger Morgan

As an aviation historian I thought you might like to know
some of the history on KB-976. It was purchased from the Canadian Government by
Lynn Garrison in April of 1964. At this time the RCAF ferried
it to Calgary, Alberta where Garrison was creating an aviation museum,
originally known as the Alberta Aviation Museum, later changed to The Air Museum
of Canada. The Calgary International Air Show, coordinated by Lynn garrison to
raise funds for the museum saw him fly this Lancaster in the air show with
special permission of the Minister of Defence. The Calgary Herald has a good
photo of KB-976 on this flight as it flew over another Lancaster Garrison had
purchased some time earlier. This was Lancaster FM-136. He purchased this in
Macleod and had Canadian Pacific Airlines crews install 4 Merlin engines loaned
to the project by Defence Minister Douglas Harkness. The
Lancaster FM-136 was ferried to Calgary by CPA (Repair) and placed on a
pedestal.

Production Data:

Part of the first
production batch of 300 aircraft built by Victory Aircraft Limited,
Malton, Ontario, Canada. KB700-KB999 (produced 'before' the
FM-Serial batch). Packard built Rolls-Royce Merlin 38 engines in the first 75
aircraft; Merlin 224 engines in the subsequent aircraft. Deliveries commenced to
Britain 9-43; completed 3-45 (average rate of production, approximately 4
aircraft per week). Victory Aircraft Construction Number
37277